Exploring the 8 Vasus: Children of Kasyapa and Aditi – The Vasus are celestial beings who serve as attendant deities to Indra and later to Vishnu. In the Ramayana, they are described as the children of Kasyapa and Aditi, while the Mahabharata presents them as the sons of Manu or Brahma Prajapati. These eight elemental gods are collectively known as the “Ashta Vasus,” meaning ‘Eight Vasus,’ and they represent various aspects of nature and cosmic phenomena. The name Vasu translates to ‘Dweller‘ or ‘Dwelling.’ Additionally, among the Thirty-three gods, the Vasus hold a significant position.
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Exploring the 8 Vasus – Children of Kasyapa and Aditi
The eight Vasus are as follows:
- Aap (also known as Jala): Representing Water.
- Dhruv (also called the pole of all Nakshatras): Associated with a fixed point in the sky.
- Soma (the Moon): Representing the Moon.
- Dhara (also known as Prithvi or Bhu): Representing Earth.
- Anala (also known as Agni): Representing Fire.
- Anila (also known as Vayu): Representing Air.
- Pratyush (also known as Surya): Representing the Sun.
(It’s worth noting that Pratyush is also known as Aditya, being the deity in charge of the Sun, born to Aditi.) - Prabhash (also known as Akash): Representing Sky or Ether.
In different Vedic scriptures, they may be referred to by slightly different names, such as Jala for Aap, Nakshatra for Dhruv, Chandra for Soma, Bhu or Prithvi for Dhara, Agni for Anala, Vaayu for Anila, Surya for Pratyush, and Akash for Prabhash.
To remember the grouping of the Vasus, one can use the following association:
PanchaMahabhootaas (Five Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether) + Sun + Moon + Nakshatra
= 5 + 1 + 1 + 1
= 8 Vasus.
Read also: Spirits of the Cosmos: Discovering the 33 Koti DevtasUnknowingly, we often overlook the fact that these “materials” have an influential role in governing various aspects of our lives. But what are they exactly?
Ordinarily, knowledge is acquired through our five powerful sensory centers, and the Vasus do not directly influence this process. Instead, their impact lies in taking over the thought formation process once the signals from our sense organs reach the perception centers of our brain. In our culture, immense importance is given to the stage of thought formation – the ability to conceive, shape, recognize, and recall thoughts, the emotions linked to each thought, their origins, the capacity to focus on thoughts, the influence of our highest ideals on them, the center around which related thoughts revolve, and more.
If one can develop the ability to govern the powers that shape thought formation, their “practice” or yogic journey would ascend to the next level.
Here is an explanation for each of these “material deities“:
- Dhara/Earth: Symbolizing the power to hold and support thoughts or problems, which can be strengthened through visualization practices.
- Anala/Agni: The power that gives thoughts a recognizable form, leading to the realization that what one seeks may already exist within.
- Anila/Wind: Representing the ability to recall at the right moment, just as the wind can dry wet clothes. It emphasizes the significance of remembering essential knowledge during crucial times.
- Aha/Atmosphere: Every thought and word carries its own mood or atmosphere. By observing and distancing oneself from these moods, the disciple develops a deeper understanding of their influence.
- Pratyusha/Pre-Dawn Light: Signifying the skill to maintain attention during transitions or gaps, such as between breaths, thoughts, or life and death.
- Dyu/Seen Twilight: Pertaining to the apparent cause behind the manifestation of each thought.
- Soma/Moon: Analogous to the effect of our highest ideals on thoughts. The mind reflects the light of the soul, just as the moon reflects the sun’s light.
- Dhruva/Pole Star: Representing the ability to bring disparate thoughts together and find meaning by focusing on an apparent center, akin to the nucleus of a cell in psychology.
Practicing the governance of these eight material deities essentially involves the practice of “observing thoughts.”
What is the story of the curse of the 8 vases?
Exploring the 8 Vasus – The tale of the curse of the 8 Vasus is a significant event in Hindu mythology. In the Ramayana, the Vasus were born to Aditi and Kashyapa. The Mahabharata recounts how the Vasus, led by Prithu (presumably a male form of Prithvi), were enjoying themselves in the forest when Prabhasa (also known as Dyu) spotted a magnificent cow. Persuaded by his wife, Prabhasa, with the agreement and aid of Prithu and his other brothers, decided to steal the cow.
Unbeknownst to the Vasus, the cow belonged to the sage Vashishta. Using his ascetic powers, Vashishta discovered that the Vasus had stolen the cow and immediately cursed them to be reborn on Earth as mortals. In response to their pleas, Vashishta offered some relief, stating that seven of them would be freed from their earthly existence within a year of being born, while Prabhasa would bear the full brunt of the curse.
Seeking a solution, the Vasus requested the river-goddess Ganga to become their mother. Ganga agreed and incarnated as the wife of King Shantanu, with the condition that he never question her actions. As each of the seven Vasu children was born, Ganga submerged them in her own waters, liberating them from their mortal plight, and the king remained silent, honoring his promise. However, when the eighth child, Prabhasa, was born, King Shantanu finally protested his wife’s actions, leading her to leave him.
As a result, the eighth Vasu, Prabhasa, remained alive but confined in mortal form. In his mortal incarnation, he became known as Bhishma, a significant figure in the epic Mahabharata.